The event brings together 100 intellectuals, personalities, thinkers and academics from 37 countries in the Havana’s International Conference Center, together with their Cuban colleagues, to debate the current challenges faced by progressive forces and agree on common strategies of action against the resurgence of fascism and the violent capitalist onslaught.
In his opening remarks, the head of the Ideological Department of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), Rogelio Polanco, highlighted the relevance of exchanging visions and agreeing on actions, based on committed reflection, in pursuit of the historic struggles of the left.
The PCC leader demanded more reflection and greater action in light of the overwhelming omnipresence of capital in its attempt to privatize even the peoples’ dreams and desires and hijack the dispute of meanings in favor of the petty interests of the imperial elites.
I also affirm that American hegemony is determined by two industries: the one that produces weapons and the one that reproduces the capitalist imaginary, which is why it is urgent to strengthen anti-hegemonic and decolonizing consciousness and spaces for debate and reflection at the service of social justice.
He identified as lines of action the condemnation of imperialism and Zionism, the fight for peace, as well as the peoples’ solidarity against imperialist aggression, which he described as the most basic of the commitments to be made by left-wing theoretical publications.
On the first day of the meeting, participants reflected on the relevance of articulating efforts to strengthen the unity of the left wing, without losing identity, in a panel headed by the deputy director of the Fidel Castro Ruz Center, Elier Ramírez.
The presentation of the book American Essays by Cuban philosopher Isabel Monal, is also planned.
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